One example of a working robot which can move a known working apparatus relative to a workpiece and which can perform desired work on the workpiece is a desktop orthogonal working robot in combination of an application apparatus and a means for moving the workpiece in XYZ-directions. With that type of working robot, the work is performed in accordance with a moving program that describes the path of movement of the working apparatus relative to the workpiece, the operation of the working apparatus, etc.
In order to efficiently perform the work with the working apparatus, the moving program requires to be optimized. However, whether or not a moving program input on the character basis (i.e., using characters, numerals, symbols, etc.) is optimum cannot be confirmed until the moving program is actually executed. In view of such a situation, various simulation techniques have been proposed to be able to verify the prepared moving program with no need of executing it.
Patent Document 1 discloses an application apparatus capable of automatically preparing a moving program to efficiently move an application head, in which a substrate (board) size is divided into a plurality of blocks and a simulation of a path for movement in a minimum time is performed on the basis of a designated block unit.
Patent Document 2 discloses an application apparatus for applying a coating onto a printed board through an application nozzle, the application apparatus having a simulation device in which application work is simulated onto the board displayed in the form of figures on a screen of a display device, the application work being based on data that is stored in a storage device and that is related to the application of the coating represented by data of the application position, the amount of the applied coating on the board, etc., the data being set in order of application steps.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2835392
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 3397879